Steve Webb
PITTSBURGH, PA — If things were a little sleepy in the Dodger dugout on Monday night, the team remedied that in a big way in the second game of the series. From the beginning of the game, the Boys in Blue had their hitting shoes on in this one, getting hits up and down the lineup. They jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead, and by the time the dust had cleared, they had a 11-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Two-run first sets the tone for the night
The Dodgers wasted no time in this one, attacking Pirates starter Bryse Wilson from the the get-go. After a Mookie Betts strikeout, Freddie Freeman and Trea Turner hit back-to-back doubles, and three hitters into the game, the Dodgers were on the board. After Max Muncy flew out for the second out of the inning, Justin Turner smacked another double off the left field wall, and just like that, the Dodgers were up 2-0.
Betts bails out his pitcher with an assist
Tony Gonsolin didn’t look that great at the beginning of this one. He struggled to find the plate in the early going and found himself in a men-on-second-and-third, nobody-out hole in the bottom of the first. It looked like the Pirates might claw their way back into this one.
Then came what might have been the play of the game. The third hitter in the inning, Ke’Bryan Hayes, lined a fly ball toward Mookie Betts in medium-deep right field. Ben Gamel at third didn’t have a whole lot of speed, but he tagged up and headed for home. Betts delivered a one-hop strike to Austin Barnes, who, we think, applied the tag. There was some question as to whether or not Barnes had indeed got the tag on Gamel, but the play went unchallenged. It was a double play, and Gonsolin got himself out of the inning with a strikeout. The lead was intact, and the Pirates would never challenge the Dodgers for the rest of the night.
Five-run explosion puts it out of reach
It was the top of the third when the Dodgers pulled away from the Bucs for good in this one. They sent nine hitters to the plate, and just ripped the cover off the ball the entire inning. Trea Turner started it off with a one-out single and stole second. Max Muncy walked, and they both scored on Justin Turner’s second double of the ball game. After Cody Bellinger struck out for the second out, Edwin Rios hit a single to score Turner. Gavin Lux hit a double to push Rios to third, and they both scored on Austin’s Barnes’s double to left. It was a glorious 5-run rally, and the Dodgers would never look back.
Dodgers pile on in 7th…
When the seventh inning rolled around, the outcome of this game was no longer in doubt, but the Dodgers continued to tee off on Pirates’ pitching. Max Muncy led off with liner to center that Bryan Reynolds tried to make a diving catch on and it rolled to the wall for a rare Max Muncy triple. Justin Turner then came through with his third RBI double of the day and the Dodgers were up 8-1.
Cody Bellinger then joined the doublemint party and drove in Turner with a two-bagger of his own. Then Edwin Rios came up. Rios must not have gotten the double-hitting memo, because instead of the customary Dodger double, Rios hit a majestic home run to right. It was his second homer in as many days. On the day, the seldom-used Rios was 3-for-5 with 3 RBI. He might have just bought himself a bit more playing time with this performance.
Pepiot debut will end the roadtrip
Though the Pirates got a garbage run to break up the shut out in the eighth, nobody particularly cared by then. Most of the regulars were off their feet, and it wasn’t exactly the A-list on the mound, either. The Dodgers try to get a series victory against the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon (morning for us), and then they fly back to LA for a nice homestand against the Phillies and D-backs. Ryan Pepiot, who’s looked so good at OKC this season, will get the ball for the Dodgers. It should be fun to see this highly touted rookie get his first taste of big-league competition. Dylan Peters will get the ball for the Pirates. 9:35 am sunrise service. Get your coffee and your Egg McMuffin early. This one should be fun.
Cans of Corn…
- The Dodgers made two throwing errors in one inning after the game was out of reach. Things got a bit sloppy late.
- Justin Turner had a “wow” kind of game. Hopefully that gives him something to build on.
- Mookie Betts went 0-for-5, thus breaking up his ten-game hitting streak.
- Lots of doubles today — eight! That’s a season-high.
- Fifteen hits from the Dodgers today — relentless.
- The Dodgers have a chance to end the road trip at 5-1 and go home with the best record in baseball.
- It’s time for your close-up, Ryan Pepiot!
